Information for Instructors and Department Chairs

Information for Instruction

Ways to encourage academic integrity:

-In your syllabus

-On your assignments

-In writing & research

-On exams

-Generally

Procedures to follow when a breach in academic integrity is suspected:

For remaining questions, refer to the following campus resources:

-Library research

-Writing support for students

-Scheduling and planning with student-athletes

  • For general Academic Integrity questions related to scheduling and planning with student athletes, contact the Athletic Study Center
-Accomodations and considerations for students who have identified with the Disabled Students Program (DSP)
-Support for International students (Berkeley International Office)
  • For general Academic Integrity questions related to supporting International students, contact BIO.

-Course design and designing assignments that encourage academic integrity 

  • For general Academic Integrity questions related to course design and assignment design, contact Richard Freishtat (rfreishtat@berkeley.edu) in the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)

-Utilization of Turnitin in bCourses 

For Department Chairs

Disseminate academic integrity information widely to your faculty and GSIs. Two handouts [“Faculty Tips on Academic Dishonesty in the Classroom” and “Suggested Course Syllabus Language Regarding Academic Integrity”] have been developed to inform faculty about academic integrity issues. They include; tips for supporting academic integrity and preventing cheating in the classroom; suggestions for dealing with allegations of cheating when they arise; and information on procedures for formal resolution of academic dishonesty cases.

Encourage all instructors to clarify academic integrity expectations with students at the start of each course. Ensure that instructors clarify expectations regarding academic integrity at the beginning of each semester and address topics such as collaboration, citation, use of the internet, and re-use of assignments submitted for a different course. This information should be presented orally to the students during the first class meeting and should also be contained in the course syllabus (see “Suggested Course Syllabus Language”). GSIs should also be encouraged to include this language in the information they distribute in section and to discuss what constitutes academic dishonesty with their students.

Provide departmental forums for faculty to discuss expectations, rules, and policies about handling academic dishonesty. Chairs should periodically discuss at faculty meetings the department rules, policies or expectations about the handling of academic dishonesty allegations. This will serve to reinforce consistent expectations and practices among faculty within departments.

Ensure that GSIs are well-informed about and supported in handling academic dishonesty.Encourage faculty to share information with GSIs, who normally have the most direct interface with students, and to initiate discussions with their GSIs to ensure consistency within courses. Faculty should always be encouraged to support GSIs who report suspected cases of academic dishonesty. Note: Graduate Council policy stipulates that all new GSIs must successfully pass an online course on professional ethics and standards in teaching by the end of the third week of classes in the first semester that he or she is appointed to serve as a GSI. Successful completion of the course will be tracked by the Graduate Division, and appointments will not be renewed if the requirement has not been fulfilled. One module of the course instructs GSIs about how to promote academic integrity, how to assist students in understanding what constitutes academic dishonesty, and what a GSI should do if he or she suspects a student has committed an infraction.